An official website of the United States government
19-1590-ATL
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Employment rose in each of Tennessee’s six large counties from March 2018 to March 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (Large counties are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2018.) Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that employment gains ranged from 4.0 percent in Williamson County to 1.2 percent in Shelby County. (See table 1.)
Nationally, employment advanced 1.4 percent from March 2018 to March 2019 as 298 of the 355 largest U.S. counties had increases. Midland, TX, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment, with a gain of 5.8 percent. Bay, FL, had the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment, with a loss of 5.9 percent.
Among the largest counties in Tennessee, employment was highest in Davidson County (503,700) in March 2019, followed by Shelby County (498,300). Together, Tennessee’s six large counties accounted for 57.2 percent of total employment within the state. Nationwide, the 355 largest counties made up 73.5 percent of total U.S. employment, which stood at 146.5 million in March 2019.
Average weekly wages increased in 4 of Tennessee’s 6 largest counties from the first quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2019. Williamson County (7.4 percent) had the largest over-the-year wage gain, followed by Rutherford County (5.1 percent). Williamson County had the highest average weekly wage among the state’s largest counties at $1,389, followed by Davidson County at $1,222. Nationally, the average weekly wage increased 2.8 percent over the year, growing to $1,184 in the first quarter of 2019. (See table 1.)
Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 89 counties in Tennessee with 2018 average annual employment levels below 75,000. Average weekly wages in these counties ranged from $1,342 to $504. (See table 2.)
Large county wage changesIn the first quarter of 2019, 4 of Tennessee’s 6 largest counties had over-the-year wage gains above the national average of 2.8 percent. Williamson County (7.4 percent) had the highest wage gain and ranked fifth among the 355 largest counties nationwide. In contrast, Knox and Davidson counties had over-the-year wage declines, down 2.7 and 0.5 percent, respectively. (See table 1.)
Nationally, 325 of the 355 largest counties had over-the-year increases in average weekly wages. San Francisco, CA, had the largest percentage wage gain at 10.2 percent, followed by Bay, FL (9.3 percent).
Of the 355 largest counties, 28 experienced an over-the-year decrease in average weekly wages. Elkhart, IN, had the largest percentage decrease in average weekly wages (-7.6 percent), followed by Olmsted, MN (-5.1 percent).
Large county average weekly wagesAverage weekly wages in 3 of Tennessee’s 6 largest counties placed in the top half of the national ranking among the 355 largest counties in the first quarter of 2019. Williamson and Davidson Counties had average weekly wages above the U.S. average of $1,184 and ranked in the top 100 nationwide at 43rd and 80th, respectively. Shelby County ($1,104) ranked 130th.
Nationwide, average weekly wages were above the U.S. average ($1,184) in 92 of the 355 largest counties in the first quarter of 2019. New York, NY, had the highest average weekly wage at $3,153, followed by San Francisco, CA ($2,759), and Santa Clara, CA ($2,758).
Among the largest U.S. counties, 263 had average weekly wages below the national average in the first quarter of 2019. Cameron, TX, reported the lowest wage ($648), followed by Horry, SC ($652), and Hidalgo, TX ($662).
Average weekly wages in Tennessee’s smaller countiesAmong the 89 counties in Tennessee—those with 2018 annual employment levels below 75,000—only Roane County ($1,342) had an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,184. Hancock County reported the lowest average weekly in the state, averaging $504 in the first quarter of 2019. (See table 2.)
When all 95 counties in Tennessee were considered, 7 reported average weekly wages below $600, 26 had wages from $600 to $699, 35 had wages from $700 to $799, 14 had wages from $800 to $899, and 13 had wages at or above $900. (See chart 1.)
Additional statistics and other informationQCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note or visit www.bls.gov/cew.
Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. The 2018 edition of this publication contains selected data produced by Business Employment Dynamics (BED) on job gains and losses, as well as selected data from the first quarter 2019 version of the national news release. Tables and additional content from the 2018 edition of Employment and Wages Annual Averages are now available online at www.bls.gov/cew/publications/employment-and-wages-annual-averages/2018/home.htm.
The County Employment and Wages release for second quarter 2019 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 20, 2019. The County Employment and Wages full data update for second quarter 2019 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.
The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data is now available in Census Business Builder Version 2.6, a suite of U.S. Census Bureau web tools that assists business owners and regional analysts in data-driven decision making. As the first collaboration of this type between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau, this data-sharing project makes data more accessible for local users and enhances the efficiency of digital service delivery. The Census Business Builder is available at: www.census.gov/data/data-tools/cbb.html.
Average weekly wage data by county are compiled under the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The average weekly wage values are calculated by dividing quarterly total wages by the average of the three monthly employment levels of those covered by UI programs. The result is then divided by 13, the number of weeks in a quarter. It is to be noted, therefore, that over-the-year wage changes for geographic areas may reflect shifts in the composition of employment by industry, occupation, and such other factors as hours of work. Thus, wages may vary among counties, metropolitan areas, or states for reasons other than changes in the average wage level. Data for all states, Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), counties, and the nation are available on the BLS Web site at www.bls.gov/cew/; however, data in QCEW press releases have been revised and may not match the data contained on the Bureau’s Web site.
QCEW data are not designed as a time series. QCEW data are simply the sums of individual establishment records reflecting the number of establishments that exist in a county or industry at a point in time. Establishments can move in or out of a county or industry for a number of reasons–some reflecting economic events, others reflecting administrative changes.
The preliminary QCEW data presented in this release may differ from data released by the individual states as well as from the data presented on the BLS Web site. These potential differences result from the states’ continuing receipt, review and editing of UI data over time. On the other hand, differences between data in this release and the data found on the BLS Web site are the result of adjustments made to improve over-the-year comparisons. Specifically, these adjustments account for administrative (noneconomic) changes such as a correction to a previously reported location or industry classification. Adjusting for these administrative changes allows users to more accurately assess changes of an economic nature (such as a firm moving from one county to another or changing its primary economic activity) over a 12-month period. Currently, adjusted data are available only from BLS press releases.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
Area | Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2019 (thousands) | Percent change, March 2018-19 (2) | National ranking by percent change (3) | Average weekly wage | National ranking by level (3) | Percent change, first quarter 2018-19 (2) | National ranking by percent change (3) | |
United States (4) | 146,497.6 | 1.4 | -- | $1,184 | -- | 2.8 | -- |
Tennessee | 3,004.2 | 2.0 | -- | 996 | 28 | 1.9 | 42 |
Davidson, TN | 503.7 | 3.4 | 19 | 1,222 | 80 | -0.5 | 339 |
Hamilton, TN | 206.4 | 1.8 | 94 | 996 | 201 | 3.3 | 110 |
Knox, TN | 239.7 | 1.3 | 150 | 952 | 235 | -2.7 | 353 |
Rutherford, TN | 132.4 | 1.6 | 118 | 948 | 239 | 5.1 | 31 |
Shelby, TN | 498.3 | 1.2 | 159 | 1,104 | 130 | 2.9 | 144 |
Williamson, TN | 137.8 | 4.0 | 6 | 1,389 | 43 | 7.4 | 5 |
Footnotes: | |||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Area | Employment March 2019 | Average Weekly Wage(1) |
---|---|---|
United States(2) | 146,497,599 | $1,184 |
Tennessee | 3,004,216 | 996 |
Anderson | 39,501 | 1,168 |
Bedford | 16,274 | 736 |
Benton | 4,205 | 652 |
Bledsoe | 2,189 | 674 |
Blount | 50,416 | 895 |
Bradley | 41,753 | 813 |
Campbell | 9,031 | 679 |
Cannon | 2,218 | 653 |
Carroll | 6,836 | 651 |
Carter | 11,360 | 675 |
Cheatham | 8,552 | 890 |
Chester | 3,720 | 651 |
Claiborne | 9,226 | 662 |
Clay | 1,409 | 600 |
Cocke | 7,714 | 664 |
Coffee | 27,058 | 900 |
Crockett | 3,612 | 777 |
Cumberland | 17,515 | 648 |
Davidson | 503,719 | 1,222 |
Decatur | 3,358 | 718 |
De Kalb | 5,701 | 742 |
Dickson | 18,037 | 740 |
Dyer | 15,484 | 773 |
Fayette | 7,967 | 863 |
Fentress | 5,199 | 594 |
Franklin | 11,590 | 728 |
Gibson | 14,395 | 700 |
Giles | 10,189 | 743 |
Grainger | 3,796 | 714 |
Greene | 25,063 | 743 |
Grundy | 2,145 | 524 |
Hamblen | 32,105 | 783 |
Hamilton | 206,358 | 996 |
Hancock | 944 | 504 |
Hardeman | 6,831 | 743 |
Hardin | 8,090 | 865 |
Hawkins | 12,878 | 796 |
Haywood | 4,819 | 773 |
Henderson | 7,997 | 795 |
Henry | 11,474 | 737 |
Hickman | 3,645 | 705 |
Houston | 1,511 | 607 |
Humphreys | 5,962 | 978 |
Jackson | 1,388 | 611 |
Jefferson | 13,354 | 790 |
Johnson | 4,162 | 766 |
Knox | 239,672 | 952 |
Lake | 1,635 | 659 |
Lauderdale | 6,586 | 732 |
Lawrence | 10,796 | 673 |
Lewis | 2,647 | 592 |
Lincoln | 10,370 | 708 |
Loudon | 15,913 | 837 |
McMinn | 19,017 | 859 |
McNairy | 5,493 | 636 |
Macon | 4,995 | 637 |
Madison | 59,447 | 835 |
Marion | 7,333 | 725 |
Marshall | 9,882 | 795 |
Maury | 37,099 | 954 |
Meigs | 2,208 | 743 |
Monroe | 14,437 | 755 |
Montgomery | 55,377 | 754 |
Moore | 2,191 | 838 |
Morgan | 3,016 | 691 |
Obion | 10,951 | 700 |
Overton | 5,051 | 705 |
Perry | 1,880 | 594 |
Pickett | 973 | 712 |
Polk | 2,068 | 638 |
Putnam | 36,915 | 746 |
Rhea | 10,456 | 829 |
Roane | 19,129 | 1,342 |
Robertson | 21,296 | 742 |
Rutherford | 132,411 | 948 |
Scott | 5,785 | 595 |
Sequatchie | 3,082 | 606 |
Sevier | 46,796 | 585 |
Shelby | 498,315 | 1,104 |
Smith | 5,289 | 819 |
Stewart | 2,737 | 945 |
Sullivan | 68,436 | 962 |
Sumner | 55,425 | 840 |
Tipton | 11,591 | 694 |
Trousdale | 1,954 | 749 |
Unicoi | 4,816 | 874 |
Union | 2,463 | 651 |
Van Buren | 794 | 620 |
Warren | 12,626 | 795 |
Washington | 61,648 | 782 |
Wayne | 3,750 | 627 |
Weakley | 11,183 | 654 |
White | 7,420 | 663 |
Williamson | 137,761 | 1,389 |
Wilson | 47,111 | 808 |
Footnotes | ||
NOTE: Includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. Data are preliminary. |
State | Employment | Average weekly wage (1) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2019 (thousands) | Percent change, March 2018-19 | Average weekly wage | National ranking by level | Percent change, first quarter 2018-19 | National ranking by percent change | |
United States (2) | 146,497.6 | 1.4 | $1,184 | -- | 2.8 | -- |
Alabama | 1,978.0 | 1.6 | 944 | 38 | 2.5 | 32 |
Alaska | 312.4 | 0.3 | 1,108 | 18 | 3.3 | 9 |
Arizona | 2,895.1 | 2.5 | 1,056 | 22 | 3.0 | 21 |
Arkansas | 1,218.5 | 0.7 | 896 | 45 | 2.2 | 38 |
California | 17,436.4 | 1.8 | 1,401 | 5 | 3.8 | 4 |
Colorado | 2,690.3 | 1.9 | 1,231 | 9 | 4.8 | 2 |
Connecticut | 1,650.6 | 0.0 | 1,487 | 4 | 2.3 | 34 |
Delaware | 444.1 | 1.3 | 1,199 | 13 | -0.1 | 51 |
District of Columbia | 773.5 | 0.5 | 1,921 | 1 | 0.2 | 49 |
Florida | 8,894.3 | 2.1 | 1,015 | 26 | 2.7 | 25 |
Georgia | 4,488.6 | 2.1 | 1,121 | 17 | 2.6 | 28 |
Hawaii | 658.1 | -0.4 | 1,006 | 27 | 3.4 | 8 |
Idaho | 732.3 | 2.7 | 828 | 50 | 2.3 | 34 |
Illinois | 5,912.0 | 0.1 | 1,275 | 8 | 2.7 | 25 |
Indiana | 3,059.1 | 1.2 | 963 | 33 | 0.9 | 48 |
Iowa | 1,527.1 | 0.1 | 942 | 39 | 2.3 | 34 |
Kansas | 1,379.3 | 0.6 | 940 | 40 | 3.2 | 12 |
Kentucky | 1,882.6 | 0.6 | 920 | 41 | 2.2 | 38 |
Louisiana | 1,916.8 | -0.1 | 954 | 34 | 2.5 | 32 |
Maine | 599.8 | 1.2 | 919 | 42 | 3.1 | 16 |
Maryland | 2,670.3 | 0.9 | 1,228 | 10 | 1.7 | 45 |
Massachusetts | 3,558.1 | 1.1 | 1,561 | 3 | 3.5 | 7 |
Michigan | 4,307.4 | 0.6 | 1,078 | 20 | 0.1 | 50 |
Minnesota | 2,840.8 | 0.5 | 1,203 | 12 | 2.3 | 34 |
Mississippi | 1,129.8 | 0.4 | 779 | 51 | 1.8 | 43 |
Missouri | 2,788.4 | 0.5 | 986 | 31 | 2.6 | 28 |
Montana | 458.8 | 0.9 | 844 | 49 | 3.1 | 16 |
Nebraska | 965.6 | 0.1 | 917 | 43 | 2.2 | 38 |
Nevada | 1,392.2 | 3.0 | 992 | 29 | 1.5 | 47 |
New Hampshire | 656.2 | 1.2 | 1,156 | 15 | 3.1 | 16 |
New Jersey | 4,040.2 | 1.3 | 1,399 | 6 | 1.7 | 45 |
New Mexico | 825.4 | 1.3 | 890 | 47 | 3.2 | 12 |
New York | 9,453.5 | 1.5 | 1,639 | 2 | 2.6 | 28 |
North Carolina | 4,458.5 | 2.0 | 1,054 | 23 | 3.2 | 12 |
North Dakota | 414.3 | 1.5 | 1,021 | 25 | 3.3 | 9 |
Ohio | 5,363.2 | 0.7 | 1,035 | 24 | 3.0 | 21 |
Oklahoma | 1,617.0 | 1.1 | 953 | 35 | 4.3 | 3 |
Oregon | 1,921.9 | 1.3 | 1,060 | 21 | 3.3 | 9 |
Pennsylvania | 5,850.3 | 1.1 | 1,146 | 16 | 2.8 | 24 |
Rhode Island | 474.7 | 0.8 | 1,104 | 19 | 1.8 | 43 |
South Carolina | 2,110.0 | 2.0 | 901 | 44 | 3.0 | 21 |
South Dakota | 419.0 | 0.4 | 865 | 48 | 2.7 | 25 |
Tennessee | 3,004.2 | 2.0 | 996 | 28 | 1.9 | 42 |
Texas | 12,455.6 | 2.2 | 1,204 | 11 | 3.1 | 16 |
Utah | 1,501.4 | 3.0 | 978 | 32 | 3.1 | 16 |
Vermont | 309.1 | 0.4 | 950 | 36 | 3.7 | 5 |
Virginia | 3,896.9 | 1.2 | 1,186 | 14 | 2.1 | 41 |
Washington | 3,371.1 | 1.8 | 1,368 | 7 | 4.9 | 1 |
West Virginia | 687.1 | 0.3 | 896 | 45 | 3.2 | 12 |
Wisconsin | 2,838.9 | 0.1 | 992 | 29 | 2.6 | 28 |
Wyoming | 269.0 | 1.9 | 948 | 37 | 3.7 | 5 |
Puerto Rico | 875.8 | 2.2 | 553 | (3) | -2.1 | (3) |
Virgin Islands | 36.6 | 9.6 | 966 | (3) | -1.0 | (3) |
Footnotes: | ||||||
Note: Data are preliminary. Covered employment and wages includes workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs. |
Last Modified Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2019